@FootynewsGuardiola's son heard so many Johan Cruyff stories at the dinner table that he finally asked who the man actually was. Pep's answer: it's like sitting in a history, science or math class, just waiting for that one teacher's lesson, the kind that makes you fall for the subject itself. The kid shot back: "Like Merlin?" And Pep said yes, like Merlin. They had a Merlin, someone who helped them and was special. That tracks, because none of this happens without Cruyff. Guardiola says he knew nothing about football until they met, that Cruyff was unparalleled, and that his legacy is infinite. At the start of Pep's playing days, Cruyff protected him. Every single day he placed him in the right spot. And the football lesson went past positioning, into how to carry yourself and how to keep the media at arm's length. A whole education, basically.

@FootynewsGuardiola's son heard so many Johan Cruyff stories at the dinner table that he finally asked who the man actually was. Pep's answer: it's like sitting in a history, science or math class, just waiting for that one teacher's lesson, the kind that makes you fall for the subject itself. The kid shot back: "Like Merlin?" And Pep said yes, like Merlin. They had a Merlin, someone who helped them and was special. That tracks, because none of this happens without Cruyff. Guardiola says he knew nothing about football until they met, that Cruyff was unparalleled, and that his legacy is infinite. At the start of Pep's playing days, Cruyff protected him. Every single day he placed him in the right spot. And the football lesson went past positioning, into how to carry yourself and how to keep the media at arm's length. A whole education, basically.